Wall's (ice cream) facts for kids
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| Owner | Unilever |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Introduced | 1922 |
| Related brands | Wall's (meat) |
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Wall's is a well-known brand of ice cream and frozen dessert in the United Kingdom. It is owned by a big company called Unilever. Wall's is part of a larger group of ice cream brands around the world known as Heartbrand.
The company started making ice cream in 1922 at a factory in Acton, London. Today, Wall's is still a top choice in the UK for popular ice cream treats you can hold, like Cornetto and Magnum. The brand also owns the rights to the Mr. Whippy soft-serve ice cream mix.
Contents
The Story of Wall's Ice Cream
How Wall's Began
Wall's was first started way back in 1786 by Richard Wall. He opened a butcher's shop in London. In the early 1900s, his grandson, Thomas Wall II, was in charge of the business.
The butcher shop had a problem: during the summer, people bought less meat. This meant the company had to let some staff go until winter. To fix this, in 1913, Thomas Wall II had a clever idea: make ice cream in the summer! This way, he could keep his workers busy all year. However, the First World War delayed his plan.
Ice Cream Production Starts
By 1922, two companies, Lever Brothers and Margarine Unie, bought the Wall's business together. Maxwell Holt was put in charge. He brought back the idea of making ice cream, and it was a big hit almost immediately! Wall's started making ice cream in their Acton, London, factory that same year.
Later, in 1959, Wall's opened an even bigger ice cream factory in Gloucester, England. This helped them make twice as much ice cream.
Famous Stories and Growth
There's a garage in Benhilton, Sutton, London, built around 1913, that was once used to store the "Stop Me and Buy One" bicycles. These bikes were used by Wall's to sell ice cream on the streets.
The famous actor Sir Roger Moore, who played James Bond, once said he came up with the idea for the Magnum ice cream in the 1960s. He supposedly wanted Wall's to make "a choc ice on a stick." Wall's, however, says they don't know anything about this, calling it a "brilliant story."
In March 2024, Unilever announced that it would sell off its ice cream brands, including Wall's. This decision was made to help Unilever become a simpler and more focused company. The sale is expected to be finished by the end of 2025.
Wall's Ice Cream Products
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Unilever still uses the Wall's brand for ice cream in the UK. It's part of their global Heartbrand plan. This means Wall's shares the same heart-shaped logo and many of the same products with other Heartbrand ice cream companies around the world.
Wall's is a leader in the UK for single ice cream treats like Cornetto and Magnum. They also make larger ice cream products like Viennetta for families to enjoy at home.
Wall's is a big player in the global ice cream market. Two of its brands are even among the top ten worldwide. Under the Heartbrand logo, they make 40 different brands in 52 countries!
In 2013, Wall's started making chocolate bars based on their popular ice cream brands like Magnum and Cornetto. Then, in 2017, they launched Magnum Ice Cream Tubs, which are now sold in shops.
In 2022, Wall's launched in Canada with special Asian-inspired flavors, such as bubble tea and ube. These flavors are not sold in the UK under the Wall's brand. Instead, they use the Heartbrand logo's global recognition. In Canada, Unilever mainly uses the Breyers brand for its main ice cream range.
Advertising Campaigns
Since the 1970s, Wall's has used similar advertisements to its sister companies around the world. These include HB Ice Cream in Ireland, Miko in France, and Ola in the Netherlands. This helps create a consistent look for the Heartbrand family.
Images for kids
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Wall's Magnum ice cream on sale (and advertised on posters) at the Odeon cinema, Chorley, Lancashire in January 1960
